ANKARA, August 25. /Dunyo IA/.   Hulusi Kılıç, Turkish diplomat, politician and Former Ambassador of Türkiye to Azerbaijan, commented to Dunyo IA on the outcomes of the state visit of the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, to Uzbekistan on August 23–24^th:

- Sometimes, transformations in relations between nations become particularly evident not when they are officially announced, but a few years later, when one looks back and realizes how profoundly things have changed.

I often reflect on this, recalling the years of my diplomatic service in Azerbaijan. Today, from Ankara, I closely observe the state visit of the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, to Uzbekistan, and notice how profoundly Uzbekistan’s role in regional politics has transformed over the past decade.

When I served as the Ambassador of Türkiye to Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan was, without a doubt, always perceived in Baku as a brotherly nation possessing immense historical, cultural, and human potential. However, at that time, the perception of the capabilities of bilateral relations was vastly different from the reality we witness today.

Over the past decade, Uzbekistan has undergone a profound transformation, which has become particularly pronounced in recent years. The country has opened up to the world, revitalized its relations with its neighbors and Turkic states and taken a far more proactive role in regional processes. Today, Tashkent is perceived in Baku not merely as a historically close capital, but as a critical political and economic partner.

In my view, this is one of the most compelling outcomes of recent years. Today, relations of strategic partnership and alliance have been firmly established between Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan. Behind the eloquent words of brotherhood lie tangible projects, growing trade turnover, investments, interregional cooperation, business partnerships and new transport opportunities.

This is precisely why the current visit of President Ilham Aliyev to Tashkent holds a particular significance. It is no longer a visit merely to reaffirm good relations. It is a visit to define the future trajectory of these relations.

The third meeting of the Supreme Interstate Council, the negotiations between the leaders of the two nations, alongside new agreements, economic, and humanitarian projects, demonstrate how earnestly Baku and Tashkent approach the further development of their cooperation.

I attach particular significance to the transport and transit sector. Today, geography is once again becoming a paramount factor in global politics and economics. Azerbaijan occupies a strategic position in the South Caucasus, while Uzbekistan serves as one of the key centers of Central Asia. The convergence of these capabilities opens up prospects that seemed far more distant just a few years ago.

From Ankara, it is particularly evident today how natural the rapprochement among Türkiye, Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan truly is. This is not an artificially constructed alignment. We are bound by history, culture, language, human connections, and, most importantly, increasingly aligned economic and strategic interests.

Trilateral Türkiye–Azerbaijan–Uzbekistan format is progressively transforming into a vital mechanism for practical cooperation. Trade, investments, transport, logistics, the Middle Corridor, energy, digital technologies and interregional engagement establish a highly robust foundation for this partnership.

Today, we observe that relations between Ankara and Tashkent are also assuming an increasingly strategic character. When these two lines converge, a space for entirely new opportunities emerges. I am confident that the visit of President Ilham Aliyev to Uzbekistan will inject a new momentum into this process.